Am I too old for this (mutton dressed as lamb)??????????

I'd had this project sitting on the sewing table since before christmas, but what with all the presents to make and celebrating to be had I've only just gotten around to making my..........two tone dress.  I've been seeing this fashion around all over the place and after making these t-shirt dresses decided to have a go at one for myself.  I had the Erin McMorris Wildwood fabric in my stash, I looove these fabrics and really wanted to use them in something together. 

While the citrus/lime green isn't a colour I would usually wear I was willing to go out on a limb and try something different for the love of the fabric.

So here's how I made it:

1. 
   
   I bought myself a plain black singlet
   
   
2. 
   
   selected four co-ordinating pieces of fabric from a fat quarter pack
   
   
3. 
   
   cut each of these into thirds along the long edge to make 12 panels (I didn't want the skirt to look too boxy by just having four panels).
   
   
4. 
   
   I put one panel aside to make the pockets out of
   
   
5. 
   
   joined the remaining 11 panels together at the long sides alternating the various fabrics to make a tube of fabric (I zig zag stitched all raw edges)
   
   
6. 
   
   I then machine stitched a gathering stitch along the top edge.........(well in actual fact a did this along the bottom edge much to my chagrin so now the print is upside down.  Yes I did contemplate unpicking it all - for three days I thought about it.  I then decided that I would probably be the only one to notice it and I'd rather be wearing my new dress than looking at it sitting in my to-do pile for the next decade, so there)
   
   
7. 
   
   I then decided where on my torso I wanted the singlet and skirt to meet and cut the singlet, allowing a 1/2 inch seam allowance
   
   
8. 
   
   I then gathered up the top edge of the skirt along the gathering stitch until it was the same width as the bottom edge of the singlet
   
   
9. 
   
   I put the singlet inside the skirt right sides together and lining up the raw edges sewed the two pieces together using a straight stitch and a 1/2 inch seam allowance, I then overlocked the edge using a zig zag stitch.
   
   
10. 
    
    Then I ironed the seam down towards the skirt and from the right side of the fabric sewed another row of straight stitch just to hold the seam down nice and neat
    
    
11. 
    
    Almost there now!  I added a strip of black fabric to the hem for several reasons.  1 - to add some needed lengh, 2 - to finish off the raw hem, 3 - as the fabrics are so bold and busy I thought it needed something to just calm it down abit and tie it back in with the black singlet.  I made 4 inch wide single fold bias tape out of some black cotton I already had and machine stitched it on.
    
    
12. 
    
    With the remaining panel of fabric (remember the one I put aside for the pockets - because all dresses need pockets, right? - I cut it in half along the short edge, folded down and pressed the top edge 1/4" then again 3/4" then I folded down and pressed each of the remaining three sides 1/4"
    
    
13. 
    
    I straight stitched along the top edge to hold it in place
    
    
14. 
    
    then positioned and pinned the pockets in place on the dress
    
    
15. 
    
    sewed around three sides, leaving the top edge open, as close to the edge as possible then again 1/16" from that to make sure it was nice and secure
    
    

A very important afterthought - if you use cotton fabric (ie. fabric with no give or stretchy qualities) for the skirt as I did, make sure you don't make the waist too fitted as you need to be able to get it on and off over your head/shoulders/bust.

                                 

Ta-da!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  As much as I love my new dress it is a little unflattering as is, so I went out and bought a nice wide belt to go with it.

But the question remains, mutton dressed as lamb??

BTW - can I just say I hadn't intended on writing a tutorial of sorts for this dress, so absolutely no forethought or planning has gone into writing these instructions..............so if you do want to try and make one and you are having trouble with my instructions please just let me know and I'll try to help if I can :)

Phew, that was a long one!!